Whole-Earth: A Conservation-Planning Paradigm for a Changing Climate

Abstract

Conservationists have called for conserving 30%–50% of the earth’s surface to address the ongoing biodiversity and climate crises. To be successful, such an expansion of the global reserve network must meet climate-intensified challenges of species movements, ecological transformations, increasing human needs, and environmental injustices. These challenges will not be overcome by simply doubling or tripling the footprint of protected areas. Instead, successful biodiversity conservation will re- quire planning for conservation mosaics—large, integrated landscapes, and seascapes composed of areas with different levels of protection and types of management—that cover the entire earth. Such mosaics can (1) increase landscape-scale coordination of conservation efforts, (2) increase landscape permeability, (3) sustain healthy human populations, and (4) reduce environmental injustices. We describe this more holistic spatial conservation paradigm and provide a framework for planning for conservation mosaics that addresses growing biodiversity conservation and human needs.